


Guardian Angel

by animefan021513



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Angel Crowley (Good Omens), Author Is Sleep Deprived, Best Friends, Brotherly Affection, Epic Friendship, Friendship, Gen, Guardian Angels, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, POV Crowley (Good Omens), Protective Crowley (Good Omens), The Author Regrets Nothing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-20 08:02:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19372579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animefan021513/pseuds/animefan021513
Summary: Crowley had always said he sauntered vaguely downwards, but what if he was told to? What if God had a special job for him for AFTER he would tempt Eve? What if his job involved another certain angel? What if he was the one and only of his kind after his fall? A trip through the years and why Crowley still has his wings and can express kindness and compassion, and how he mentally face palmed through the years because of Aziraphale. What will happen when Gabriel comes to take Crowley and Aziraphale back to heaven for...questioning? What will Aziraphale find out that he didn't know before? Read and find out! (First Good Omens fanfic! And based mainly on the show)





	1. Chapter 1

There was fire. There was screaming. There was destruction. There was pain. There was anger. There was hate. There was disdain. There was fury. There was rage. There was the sound of clashing swords and battle cries. There was maniacal laughter. However, what I found most disturbing and heart wrenching about the whole thing was...there was no where to go or run to. It was just two weeks ago that God had announced that she would be creating something new. Humans is what she called them. They would be made in our image and they would be mortal. Affected by time, and they would have free will to do as they please. Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and especially Lucifer had long debates and many fights about it. It was Lucifer against all of them. I remember tending to the Garden when I heard their argument. If you could call it that, that is. The other three archangels practically attacked Lucifer when he calmly questioned why they would have free will and what it was for. The argument became heated and Michael drew her sword and pointed it at Lucifer. That's what started this mess. This destruction and torn family.

I myself have never really been like the others. I never desired to fight. I disliked it for all it was worth. It made no sense to me. Why fight? Arguments are fine, in my opinion, but to outright get into a battle over it? I could never understand it. Long ago I suppose God found that I wasn't like the other angels and so she saw fit to give me a luxurious area where I could tend to plants and animals that did not have names yet. She said they would someday, but told me that the Garden was called Eden. I enjoyed it and it suited me. There were four angels posted at the Northern, Southern, Western, and Eastern Gate. Why? I have no idea. It was just me and the un-named plants and animals.

However, now I watched as angels fought with angels in my Garden. I hid in a tree where I wouldn't be noticed by anyone and I covered my ears to stop myself from hearing the horrible screams coming from my brothers and sisters, as well as the sound of wings burning and scorching. My nose wrinkled in disgust as the smell of charred flesh and burnt feathers made it to my nose. Then, suddenly, there was a flash of what seemed to be a jagged line of light that gave off immense heat and energy. Once it struck the ground of my Garden I was nearly knocked out of the tree from the sound it created, but as I watched everyone stop instantly, I found myself in a strange place. I looked around and I felt the ground beneath my feet. It was sand, and off in the far distance was a large mass of water. An ocean is what I think God called it. "Wh-Where am I?"

"Crawley..."

My eyes shot wide open and I felt my heart beat wildly in my chest as a sudden pressure laid upon it with the same force of the sound that came from the flashing light. "Lord? Have I done something wrong? Where am I?"

"No, Crawley. You've done nothing wrong. You've actually done something right."

I staggered back and frantically looked around. "I-I don't see how that's the case. I was hiding in a tree like a coward."

"No, you're not a coward, and don't let anyone tell you that you are. You are not fighting with your siblings. You have done as I have asked you and tended to the Garden, and quite beautifully I might add. This place...it's immune to time. Time for you as stopped out there as you are in here. This place can hold anything and everything if I wish it too, and soon, I will be giving it to you."

"WH-WHAT!?" I shouted, my shock showing through my wings as the flew out to their full length. "L-Lord, I don't...why?"

"Because, I will be giving you a task that is very important to me. You see, you are not the only angel that did not wish to fight. There is only ONE other angel that did not wish to fight. However, he has as much capability as the four archangels, and just as much power. However, he doesn't hold the title and no one, not even him, knows the amount of power he DOES hold. He thinks himself a normal angel, and to an extent he is. Wings, powers, faith, love...all of the traits for an angel just like you yourself have. Now, back to the matter at hand to explain him...when I resume time my voice will come after the bolt of lightning and the sound of thunder..."

"Is that what that was!?" I interrupted and immediately regretted it. "I...sorry."

I heard her chuckle warmly which eased my pounding heart and relaxed my wings some. "Quite alright. You don't know as much as the other angels, but you will after today. You will have the same knowledge that the ONE other angel has, and I will give you the SAME amount of power. However, when I resume time, I will cast out the angels that have rebelled and they will be called demons. They will live in a horrible place called hell where they will no longer know me as they once did. They will know despair, fire, hate, resentment, and all of the other negative emotions you will know once this is over and I give you the job I have for you. When I resume time...those that still have any remnants of their wings left...will have them ripped away in an instant and they will have a deadly weakness to anything concerning my holy light and life. They will not know forgiveness, love, compassion, or anything positive. Crawly...for the task I have for you...for the job I have for you...I am going to have to ask you to go with them."

"B-But...I-I don't WANT to go!" I felt tears stream down my cheeks. I once knew them as tears of joy whenever God would bring forth another plant for the garden, but now...my heart ached more than I could've imagined.

"I know, but I need you to. You're the only one that can do what I'm going to ask of you. You will spend time with the demons and they will ask you to turn against me in the near future...but I do need you to go with them."

"B-But..." I brought my right wing in front of me. "I-I love my wings!"

"And you shall keep them, but the demons CANNOT know you have them. When you return you will be safe, because I will allow you in the garden and they  _will not_  be allowed. You will have the capability to turn into a snake for what they will ask of you, but I will be the one giving you the ability. You will keep your wings, but they will be as black as the night. Now, like I said, you will have the same amount of power as the other angel, which means you'll have the power of an archangel, but you mustn't let anyone else know that, and the other angel cannot know he has such power until he realizes it for himself."

"Why?"

"Because it will put both of you in danger, and as my only two angels that refused to fight, I can't have that. I will create a staircase for you when the battle is over, and you will take it. It will take you to hell and you will be different upon arrival. Your wings will turn black, and though you will have divine light and this special place I have created where you will be able to go whenever you wish to relax or speak to me, they will not sense any divinity from you. You will also not look like them. They will be disfigured from the battle, but to them it will be that you just had your wings torn off before getting into battle. They will think nothing of it, but since you will be the...cleanest demon, they will send you to disturb the humans. Now, for the task I have for you...it's AFTER you have disturbed the humans, because you won't be able to tell them no to their request, if you do, they will hurt you in unimaginable ways. This knowledge...of you knowing what they're going to do...it must stay between the two of us. I don't want to ask something so difficult of you, but I have to. The job I have for you AFTER you tempt the humans is to become a Guardian angel...to the other angel."

"A what? What's a Guardian angel?"

"It's kind of like what you already are." She told me calmly, but it only further confused me. "You've Guarded the garden. You've protected, loved, and cared for the plants and animals with as much affection as I hoped you would've. You've made sure they are happy, healthy, and thriving. I need you to be a Guardian angel to the other angel. I need you to look after him. Protect him, love him as your brother, for he will be the last and only to call you that, but be warned, since you are a demon, you will not hear him say those words for a very long time. I need you to also make sure that he doesn't change. Make sure he doesn't sway to close to being like the other angels or too much like the other demons. Make sure he doesn't know sadness for too long. Also make sure he doesn't know fear, frustration, anger, or resentment for too long as well. If he becomes angry with you, give him space, but still keep a watch over him. Your hearts will be instantly connected once I resume time, but only YOU will feel it. You will always know where he's at and you will be in tune with his emotions."

"S-So...I...I am to..." I swallowed a thick lump in my throat as my body felt unbearably cold with the harsh responsibility of everything she was entrusting me with. "I am to be his Guardian angel. So...I'm basically...supposed to be...it's presumptuous and I wish you will forgive me for coming to this conclusion if I'm wrong, but if I am...please just tell me. Am I to basically be YOU...for HIM?"

"In a way. If I look after him like you will, both angels  _and_  demons will take notice. I need you to keep him from falling...and to keep him from becoming too much like the other angels. You will keep him in perfect balance...however, you will still have to keep the appearance of a demon while you're around him, despite not ACTUALLY being one. You will have the energy of one, but you won't be one. You will be called one, but you won't be one. You will be a Guardian angel. Eventually the other angel will know what you are, but he must come to that conclusion himself. You cannot even hint at it."

"A-Are there things I must be warned of? I mean...because of the demons?"

"They will be cruel, tainted, and heartless. They must NEVER know that you hold compassion like the angel you are. If they do, it could put the other angel at risk, and they WILL try and kill him. If they know that you have love still, because you WILL still have love and know me...especially in this place, then they will try and kill him and you, but it is your job to think of him before yourself. Be the demon they need you to be, and visit me when you wish. Let me know how he is, because after I resume times, I will speak with him only once for a very long time."

"I-I think I understand, but may I ask just to be sure, because...this is a lot of responsibility."

"Indeed it is, and the fact that you're treating it with as much care as you have the Garden tells me I am making the right decision. Ask what you will."

"I will be...a fallen angel?"

"Yes."

"But...I will still be an angel."

"Yes. You will walk downward, so in a way...you won't be a fallen angel, you'll just have walked down."

"Okay, and...I will have the powers of an archangel just like the other angel?"

"Yes."

"And he isn't to know of the power he has?"

"Correct."

"I am to protect and look after him?"

"Yes."

"I will be known as a demon."

"Yes."

"But I WON'T be one."

"Yes, but you will have to call yourself one and put up with the resentment that will come from the name. You will also be required to keep up appearances."

"This place...will be mine?"

"Yes, and all you will need to do is think of me with the amount of love in your heart that you still hold for me now. When you come here, this place will become anything you wish it to for the moment you are here."

"Hmm..." I hummed out as I looked around at the extensive blue sky, sand, and in the distance the ocean for this area. "I actually quite like it as it is. Will anyone else be able to access this place?"

"Not unless you allow them to."

"The other angel...I...I have a feeling we won't be able to stay in Eden...will we?"

"No."

I nodded my head as my heart ached. "He needs me?"

"More than he knows at the moment. He'll need a brother. He most certainly won't find anyone in Hell, and the other angels in Heaven...will treat him as an annoyance, a nuisance, and an outcast. He'll need someone, and make no mistake, you'll need him as well, but not as much as he'll need you."

"Why's that?"

"Because, when there will be hardship, you will be able to handle it with more ease than he will, because you will be a part of Hell...while still being an angel, but as I've said, no one but you or I will know that."

"Okay, but...if he sees my black wings, won't he question it?"

"He has hidden away from the fight just like you, so he won't know that the other demons don't have wings. Or at the very least...other HIGH ranking demons. All of the angels, including him, will be told of how evil demons are and what they are capable of. You will find that out on your own. Crawly...will you do as I ask of you?"

I felt my heart beat slow as I contemplated her request.  _'The two of us are different. We're the only two that are different in the SAME way. If he'll be treated as she say's he'll be treated...'_  I looked up to the sky and although my entire body and even my wings trembled with fear of the place she called Hell, I gave a weak smile and nodded my head. "I accept." At my words there was a rushing light and my mind was suddenly filled with much more knowledge than I had before, and it eased me a bit, but I was still fearful for Hell.

When time resumed, I watched as all of the angels and the would be demons stopped and stared at each other. "THIS ENDS NOW!" I heard her voice command, and it was a stark contrast to the gentleness it held just seconds ago. "THOSE WHO HAVE REBELLED AGAINST ME WILL BE CAST OUT AND KNOWN AS DEMONS! YOU SHALL NO LONGER KNOW ME FOR YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME!" The scent of burned feathers rushed back into my nose, and the sound of screams seemed louder than the thunder from before.

I then noticed something below me in the trunk of the tree.  _'A staircase.'_  I thought with a slightly amused smirk.  _'I guess she couldn't have put it anywhere else.'_  I looked up and saw off to the far distance that there was ANOTHER angel hiding in a tree just like I was. He had pure white curls, tearful eyes, and he was trembling while clasping his hands to his mouth.  _'That must be him.'_  At seeing him crying, my heart ached and I knew I made the right decision, but that didn't mean it prepared me any better for the walk down. I stood up and started down the stairs, and as I knew what I was to do soon, I started sauntering with slight confidence, but as I was still unsure about what I would see when I got there, my saunter turned rather vague, and that's how I went to Hell. I sauntered Vaguely downwards.

**_oOoOoOoOo_ **

Once I made it down, I felt my energy shift slightly, but at the same time nothing changed. However, I DID feel the shift in power. It thrummed in my veins to the steady beat of my heart. I hadn't seen my wings yet, but I knew they changed in color. My robes had gone from pure white to ebony black.  _'Perhaps this is what they'll look like.'_  I worded carefully in mind as I thought of my wings. The door opened, and once I walked through it quickly disappeared and we were all gathered together in the same room. I quickly found out what she had meant. They all seemed to be burned, torn at, scratched at, and some even had blisters covering their whole face. They were all growling and howling in pain, so I quickly tried to keep up appearances.  _'Hmm...if I can make it look like my back is bleeding a little like everyone else's...'_  With a subtle twitch of my fingers, I felt my back create the appearance of two gashes along with the appearance and smell of blood dripping down, and I began acting as if I was in as much pain and anguish as they were.

"H-HOW DARE SHE!?" I heard a deep and menacing voice call out, and soon we all felt ourselves being pulled further down to the ground, and in front of all of us, the once Archangel Lucifer stood in a large open room. "THIS C-CANNOT...BE...HAPPENING!" He howled out, and I watched in horror as his figure and shape changed. The energy in the air crackled and sparked with malice. It nearly made me sick, but it quickly ended as his ginormous form that was taller than the walls of Eden, and with skin as red as a rose, but somehow holding it's own aura of evil, he was pushed further down than the rest of us, and eventually he was falling through the floor. Once he was completely gone, the floor closed up, and a chair was placed on top of it. None of us dared to move towards it, but after what felt like an hour, because surely time works the same here as it does in Heaven...a demon with blisters on it's face stepped forward and sat in it. The demon's eyes instantly started glowing and there seemed to be a wave of an evil but calm aura.

"My name...is now...Beelzebub." The demon announced. "I am speaker for Lord Lucifer. I am also judge and executioner down her. You all will obey me and Lord Lucifer! We will get back at those that have dared to cast us out! We will make them pay, bleed, and KNOW the pain they have caused us!" We all cheered, although, mine was faked, and more than anything, I wanted to get out of here and away from the sickening feeling everyone around me gave me. The air was as thick as the soft earth itself, but we were all able to move through it as we 'cheered'. However, we did move a bit slow. "Let's get started!"

**_oOoOoOoOo_ **

"CRAWLEY!" I heard Beelzebub shout, and I moved forward as calmly as possible, trying to ignore the way my ears burned with disgust at hearing that voice. I couldn't explain why I hated it so much, but it made me sick.

"Yes, Beelzebub?"

"YOU have been chosen to go up to the surface into the Garden of Eden. You do not hold our appearance. You have the eyes of a snake and one of my guards told me that you can turn into one."

"That I can." I answered with a hint of pride, remembering the conversation I had with God a week ago that led me to Hell.

"Turn into one and find a way to destroy God's precious creations. After that, we'll discuss further on what we do. There must be MANY ways to get back at her for what she's done to us."

"Of course. However, may I ask a question?"

"Make it quick!"

"If I should encounter an angel...let's say...he's different than the rest. Would you like for me to keep an eye on him? I know the world a bit better than most. I tended to the Garden. I know it's in's and out's and I know of the world outside the Garden. If the angel should run or rather...fly away, I could keep an eye on him. It would prove to be advantageous for us. I could perhaps gain small bits of information that could lead us to getting back at God. I could give him the falsehood of friendship and my wanting..." I gave a fake but highly believable shudder. "...repentance. I could slither my way into his feeble heart and make him believe I can be trusted while I attempt to gain information about how heaven is getting on, and perhaps grow us that much closer to our revenge. I'm willing to stay on the surface forever if need be."

"Forever you say? You would stay on the surface forever for our cause? You know how much the sun hurts us. You know that the sun is a part of divine light...yet you would subject yourself to that kind of pain for forever?"

"If it'll bring us closer to our goal, I will."

"How fortunate that I have chosen you." The wicked grin Beelzebub gave me left a shiver down my spine. "Very well. I task you with affecting the humans somehow and with being on the surface. You will not be allowed back unless we physically come to get you. Your presence and willingness is highly needed if we're to enact our revenge."

"Of course!" I grinned and gave a slight bow. "When do I leave?"

"Now!" I watched as Beelzebub stood up and placed a hand on the wall, creating a staircase much like the one I had used. "Go. We will ask for monthly reports from you to see what you've gathered."

"Very well." I nodded, and tried to not seem like I was in a rush to get out of there as I walked up the black staircase. Once I made it to the surface, I hissed much like the snake I could turn into. The ability to change into one had some side effects apparently. One being hissing and sometimes during anxiety the 'S' sound in my words linger like a hiss as well. Two, my eyes had changed and were now as yellow as what I now knew to be a sunflower petal. The human man apparently named the plants and animals and I gained that information. My eyes also resembled a snakes eyes. I looked around for the two humans, and I thought,  _'Alright...what would get them cast out...'_  Then, my eyes settled on the tree of knowledge.  _'Nothing wrong with knowing the difference between good and evil...but it is if they were told NOT to eat from it, and I remember during the original four archangels' debate, they had said that the humans won't be allowed to know the difference.'_  I turned into a snake and looked around for the human woman. Once I found her I slithered towards her and up a tree. "Go on, it's just an apple. It's in the garden. Surely there's nothing truly wrong with it if GOD put it in the Garden." The words felt like the venom my own kind could produce, and it left a sickening feeling in my belly. I watched as she walked forward, grabbed the apple, and ate it. She gave it to Adam and they both knew now. They also both knew that they were naked.

Eight almost nine months later, her belly was swollen with a baby inside, and God casted them out of the Garden of Eden.  _'Ah, so now I get to officially meet 'the other angel' as God kept calling him.'_  I slithered up the wall and to the ONLY angel standing on top of the wall, looking out to the humans. I had seen him in and out of the Garden with his flaming sword, keeping an eye on him, making sure he didn't notice me yet, but they all knew a snake and a demon tempted Eve, so it wasn't like I had to. As I finally turned back into the new angel I had been turned into, I allowed my wings to fall gracefully behind me. It felt soft, relaxing, and so much like relief when I felt the wind blow through my feathers. "Well, that went down like a lead balloon." I told him as I watched Adam and Eve walk further away.

I heard him let out a nervous laugh, but I was still a bit focused on Adam and Eve walking away. "Sorry, what was that?"

I looked at him, and I was a bit surprised that he was talking to me, considering he just saw me turn from a snake into a...as far as he knew...demon, giving him no doubts as to who I was. "I said well that went down like a lead balloon." He nodded his head and turned away from me, looking back out to the horizon.

"Yes, YES! It did...rather." I noticed how calm his voice was yet out unsettled and nervous it was at the same time.

 _'He really IS a bit different. The other angels never talked like this, but then again, I didn't talk or act like the others either.'_  I looked over at him and kept reminding myself,  _'Appearances.'_  I took in a deep breath and spoke. "Bit of an overreaction if you ask me. First offense and everything." I narrowed my eyes as I shook my head. "I can't see what's so bad about knowing the difference between good and evil anyway." I lied, and as soon as I lied, I knew I hated doing it.  _'Well, she certainly gave me THE MOST difficult job, didn't she!?'_

"Well it must BE bad...uh..."

'Oh right! Introductions!' I raised my eyebrows with a small smile. "Crawley!"

"Crawley...otherwise...you wouldn't have tempted them into it."

"Oh...well they just said get up there and make some trouble." I looked back out to the horizon, slightly enjoying the conversation.

"Well, obviously. You're a demon. It's what you do."

 _'Can't blame him for thinking that after we watched the same battle.'_  I ignored the minor pain it caused in my heart and replied, "Not very subtle of the almighty, though. Fruit tree in the middle of the Garden with a 'don't touch' sign. I mean...why not put it on top of a high mountain? Or on the Moon?" I quickly noticed him actually taking in my words. He was actually listening to me.  _'Maybe not that difficult after all...but it will still be difficult.'_  I decided to continue. "Makes you wonder what God's really planning."

"Best not to speculate." The narrow but slight glare he gave me made me smirk slightly and very briefly as I tried to find something to say. I could sense he was growing agitated. "It's all part of the Great Plan. It's not for us to understand. It's ineffable."

"The Great Plan's ineffable?" I questioned as a spark of curiosity struck me because of his words.  _'That doesn't seem...quite right.'_

"Exactly." He answered, and as he continued to talk, I quickly noticed something was missing. Something important. Something that since he was missing it, would make my job that much MORE difficult. "It is beyond understanding..." I heard him speak with confidence. "...and incapable of being put into words."

"Didn't you have a flaming sword?"

"Uh..."

 _'Oh no you don't.'_  I tilted my head and continued. "You did! It was flaming like anything. What happened to it?"

"Uh..."

 _'Again with the 'uh!' Seriously?'_  However, at the way he wasn't looking at me anymore, and the nervousness I felt coming off of him through our connection, I suddenly got a very bad feeling about where the sword was. "Lost it already, have you?"

"I gave it away." I heard him mutter, and my eyes instantly went wide.

"You WHAT!?" I questioned as that bad feeling from earlier was completely confirmed as well as the difficulty of my job.

"I gave it AWAY!" I could see the look of distress on his face, but I could feel it too. Along with guilt and doubt, and all I could do was stare at him in complete disbelief. "There are vicious animals. It's going to be cold out there and she's expecting already, and I said 'Here you go. Flaming Sword. Don't thank me. And don't let the sun go down on you here.'" I watched as the guilt and doubt appeared on his face as his shoulders sagged. "I do hope I didn't do the wrong thing."

"Oh...you're an angel. I don't think you CAN do the wrong thing." As the words left my mouth I realized that along with being his Guardian angel, keeping up the appearance of being a demon might be a bit more difficult as well even though I'm now going to constantly be on the surface.

"Oh! Oh! Thank-Oh Thank you. It's been bothering me."

I let out a soft hum as a soft feeling I recognized as accomplishment rose in my chest, but my hum was soon interrupted by the sound of a lion roaring, and I decided to voice my slight worry, but in a different way so that neither side suspected anything. "I've been worrying too. What if I did the right thing with the whole eat the apple business. A demon can get into a lot of trouble for doing the right thing." As Adam slayed the lion a tried to continue to distract the other angel. "Be funny if we both got it wrong, eh? If I did the good thing and you did the bad one."

He nodded briefly and chuckled nervously, but seemed to quickly come back to his senses. "No! It wouldn't be funny at all!"

"Oh...well..." Before I could say anything else, I heard thunder, and as I remembered what happened the first time I heard it, I instantly moved closer to the other angel. He lifted his white wing over me, and I felt a bit calmer. "You know...I don't believe you've told me your name."

"I hadn't?" He asked as he shielded me from the rain.

"No, you hadn't. Rather rude of an angel."

I watched as he rolled his eyes, causing an honest smirk to appear on my face. "I'm an angel. You're a demon. You're the one that's rude. Look out there. Adam and Eve had to leave because of you."

I let out a heavy sigh as my wings fluffed slightly in agitation, showing my emotion unwillingly. "That still doesn't mean you didn't give your name. May I ask your name?"

"For a demon you're actually..."

"Don't finish that sentence. I REALLY don't want to hear it. Just...give me your name."

"My name is Aziraphale." He replied flatly, if not a bit frustratingly. "May I ask you something?"

"I don't see why not." I told him, but at my words the rain started pounding harder, so I used my right wing to hover over him in return for him. I noticed a shocked expression on his face.

"Firstly, why are you covering me with your wing?"

"I could ask you the same thing." I scoffed out a laugh with a brief tilt of my head.

"W-Well...you couldn't possible have the same reason I do. You're a demon."

"I covered you, because it was...it was...I just felt like it."

"You mean...you did it because it was the right thing to do?" I didn't have to look at him to know that his eyes were widened and his jaw was dropped.

"To return the favor." I stated flatly. "I don't like the idea of owing a debt to an angel."

"Why would you owe a debt to me, and that still sounds...honorable."

"Well, I'm not!" I spat.  _'Don't say I'm good! Don't say I'm anything remotely close to Good! I don't want my wings taken away, I don't want to be like THEM! It's my job to protect you, and I can't do that if either side finds out.'_ I let out a heavy sigh and shook my head.  _'He doesn't know.'_  I looked at him and he seemed a bit taken back by my outburst. "Ever since...the day that...the day that demons were created...the lightning bolt and the thunder...I don't like thunder. It...it scares me I think."

"Why are you talking to me?"

 _'Again...can't blame him.'_  I shook my head as I let out a soft chuckle. "Because I can. Because I am able to. Why are you talking to me? I came up to the top of the wall, and I said something. You could've chosen to ignore me, report me, or even leave me."

"Leave YOU in the Garden?" He let out a haughty laugh that caused a grin to appear on my face. "I should think not! You've done enough damage. As for reporting you, well, it would hardly do any good now would it? It's already been done. Eve was tempted and then so was Adam. Now, ignoring you...well...I thought it...and still think it strange that God had not smited you herself for being a demon and returning to the Garden. Wait...how did you know what the thunder and lightning was called. We were told about it AFTER God banished your kind. Did she tell the demons the same thing?"

"No. She did not." I answered honestly. "Demons are cut off from her the day the thunder and lightning happened."

"That doesn't explain how you know what they're called."

"I think maybe you'll figure it out someday." I grinned and as a huge thunder clap sounded over head, it didn't see so bad under Aziraphale's wing.  _'Huh...maybe she told him to be my Guardian angel too. I'll ask her after the storm. Wouldn't want to interrupt her.'_

"Not likely." He groaned and I just shook my head. "I don't think I will be seeing much of you in the future."

"We'll see, Aziraphale." I chuckled low.

"So...why um...how...how are you afraid of thunderstorms?"

"I don't know. I just am I guess. So, I have to ask...really, why did you hover your wing over me? You're right. You're an angel and I'm a demon. You could've just let me get soaked by the rain."

"If I'm to be perfectly honest..."

"I would expect nothing less from an angel." I smirked, and the smirk on my face broadened when Aziraphale let out an honest chuckle.

"Yes, well...if I'm to be perfectly honest, I don't know. It did seem like the right thing to do, but you're...not what I expected...for a demon anyway."

"Trust me, Aziraphale. I'm one of a kind."

"What are the rest of them like?"

"Trust me, Aziraphale. You DON'T want to know."

"Yes...but...I actually DO want to know. What are the fallen like? What is it like down there?"

I shook my head as I narrowed my eyes at him, suddenly not liking where this particular conversation was going. "Why are you asking me these things? It's not like you're going to fall."

"I don't plan to, but we were told that  _any_  angel can fall now. She didn't give specifics, but we were told we had to stay faithful to her and not be like the demons that betrayed her."

 _'Oddly specific are we?'_  I rolled my eyes as I let out a huff of air. "It's horrible, but the others seem to cope just fine. The air is thicker than anything I have ever felt, there is the constant smell of burnt feathers, skin, and blood. Everyone else has burn marks, blisters, and wounds. Lucifer turned into a ginormous monstrous looking creature and was pushed further into hell, leaving someone named Beelzebub as his speaker and our judge and executioner. They've created things called cells where they do unimaginable things to others. It's...well...it's Hell."

"I see. Have they done anything to you?"

"No. They have not. I am the only one that didn't have anything done to them. I'm sure it was Beelzebub's doing since he wanted me up here."

"You're giving me an awful lot of information, Crawley. Why?"

"You asked." I shrugged. "My opinion of the place...is different from the others. They seem to like it now."

"But you don't?"

"I can't stand it. However, just my luck...I am to stay here on Earth to...keep an eye on the humans I've tempted."

"WHY are you telling me this!? You're telling an ANGEL valuable information that could get you killed!"

 _'Well...now that's interesting...'_  I leaned back a bit as I turned to face him. "Oh? And what would an angel care about the fate of a demon?"

"I don't, but...information like that..."

"Would be valuable to other angels." I interrupted as my brow furrowed slightly. "However, I suspect that you're not like other angels."

"No, I'm not. That was made clear to me when the battle began."

"You didn't fight?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"No, I didn't."

"Huh...well...I'm off to keep an eye on the humans. Maybe we'll see each other again." I turned into a snake and slithered down the wall until my belly met sand. I turned back into my angel self and allowed my wings to fold back into my body, hiding them from the rest of the world, and I focused on God. Soon, I found myself in the same area she had pulled me into the first time we personally spoke. "God?"

"Yes, Crawley? How is Aziraphale?"

"He's fine. We actually had a...somewhat...pleasant conversation. I was just wondering...did you charge him with being  _my_  Guardian angel as well?"

"No. I did not. Just as I told you, you both need each other. He isn't a Guardian angel."

"Will there be other Guardian angels or will I be the only one?"

"There will be others. Few, but others still. However, you'll be the only to ever be a Guardian angel to another angel, and not only that, but have the power you have and the freedom you have."

"Uh huh...so...I know you're all knowing, but I was wondering...did you know that Aziraphale gave away his flaming sword?"

"Yes, I am aware."

"Are you going to question him about it? I did. He told me the truth."

"I will, but I suspect he will lie to me."

"An angel lying to you? I can't even lie to you."

"You very well could if you wished, but I have no reason to suspect you ever will. When he lies to me, that's when his life as an angel on Earth will begin. He will be like you and he will be on Earth traveling all over, trying things the humans will try and I'll allow it of him. Just be sure to continue being his Guardian angel."

"Will he really ever figure out I'm his Guardian angel?"

"Someday. He'll have to figure it out for himself, but someday."

"Okay. I guess I'll go start my job now."

"Good luck, Crawley. He's just as stubborn as you."

"Gee...thanks." I chuckled out as I rolled my eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

_'Okay...what's with the animals?'_  I thought to myself as I started to sense Aziraphale growing anxious and it was continuously growing. I soon saw him with a group of people after I allowed my legs to carry me towards what I just started to call his aura, and the pull being an aura tether. Once I made it to him I noticed he was looking left, right, and down at the animals. I quickly moved through the crowd and stood by him. "Hello, Aziraphale!"

"Crawley."

 _'Appearances...and he REALLY shouldn't have given away the sword!'_  I put on my best knowing grin as I noticed him getting a bit more anxious. "So, giving the mortals a flaming sword...how did that work out for ya?"

"Well...the almighty has never actually mentioned it again."

 _'Makes sense.'_  I looked out to the animals as they continued to go towards the giant boat. "Probably a good thing." I continued to look around and noticed that the mortals weren't boarding the boat. Just the animals. "What's all this about? Build a big boat and fill it with a traveling zoo?"

"From what I hear..." He started in a whisper as if the mortals still wouldn't be able to hear him with as close as they were to us, but hey, animals going into a giant boat and no mortals getting on...that caught my attention as it was. "...God's a bit tetchy."

_'Oh really? You don't say? You only gave away a holy artifact that you could've used to protect yourself!'_

"...Wiping out the human race. Big storm."

 _'Wh-What!?'_  I immediately looked out to the humans and there were SO many just in the area. I knew there were many more all over. "All of them!?"

"Just the locals." He shrugged as he wrung his hands, but I was still a bit stunned at the sudden revelation.

_'Oh yeah...like that makes it any better!'_

"I don't believe the Almighty's upset with the Chinese or Native Americans...or the Australians."

"Yet." I shot back. _'A. Flaming. Sword. Aziraphale! It's going to float off somewhere or be washed away somewhere and then somewhere else is going to have it!'_

"And God's not actually going to wipe out ALL the locals. I mean, Noah, up there...his family, his son, their wives...they're all going to be fine."

"But...they're DROWNING everybody else!" My heart pounded with heartache at the idea of so many people dying all at once, and as he nodded his head with his lips making a flat line, I heard children laughing as they walked their goats, and my heart sank completely. "Not the kids...you can't kill kids!"

"Mmm-Hmm." He squeaked out as he continued to nod his head.

I couldn't believe it. It hurt so much, but just I have to always keep telling myself, I tried to put on the appearance of a demon, but it was a bit difficult as I watched the children play with their animals. "Well, that's more the kind of thing you expect my lot to do."

"Yes, but when it's done, uh...the Almighty's going to put up a new thing called a 'Rain Bow', as a promise not to drown everyone again."

I couldn't hide the sarcasm that coursed through my veins as I drawled out, "How Kind!"

"You can't judge the Almighty Crowley. God's plans are-"

 _'NOPE!'_  I turned towards him as fast as I could as the anger about God drowning everyone including kids lingered in my chest. "Are you going to say ineffable?"

"Possibly."

At his word I noticed that there was a unicorn running away. I actually liked unicorns. Before they were named, they were actually really helpful with helping the plants grow and staying fresh and green. "Oi! Shem! That Unicorn's going to make a run for it! Oh, it's too late...It's too late! Well, you still got one of them!" Soon, I felt rain fall on my head and heard thunder sound off into the distance. I didn't flinch this time, but I did feel somewhere in our weird connection that Aziraphale wanted to hover his wing over me, but couldn't because of the mortals. It was the same for me. I had actually asked God about my wings around mortals, and she said that I couldn't unless it was an emergency...whatever that means.

"Crowley, I think we should go somewhere else."

"Somewhere else?" I asked him as the rain further irritated me on the situation. "How is it fair that we can go somewhere else, but not even the kids can!?" I had also asked God about interfering with her plans, because I didn't want to mess up my new job in any way, and I was thankful that she was actually being understanding of my rude questions. She told me that I would know when I'm allowed to interfere with one of her plans. This was not one of them, unfortunately.

"Crowley..." He sighed out and the stupid connection told me that he was upset, which in turn made me even more upset, but I relented.

"Fine!" I spat. "Where would you like to go?"

"Well, there just so happens to be an ark that holds animals."

"And you don't think Noah won't notice a snake and another human looking person on his floating zoo?" I crossed my arms over my chest, and watched as an actual mischievous smile grew on his face, causing my arms to immediately drop.

"You can turn into a snake, that's true, but I'm an angel. I can fly so close to the ark as it sails that neither man nor beast will be able to see me, save you, of course, because you can slither perfectly up and down anything."

"You...are going to...sneak...past mortals?" I blinked at him in shock and I couldn't help the bout of laughter that escaped me, washing away my upset like the rain was about to wash away everything. "Alright, Aziraphale. We'll play it your way." I turned into a snake, and looked up at him.  _'Now what?'_  I asked him in my head, not actually expecting a response.

"I...I heard you!" He shouted as all of the mortals ran away at the sight of me and the fact that the rain was coming down harder and harder.

 _'Y-You can hear me!?'_  I shouted, and tried my best not to think about how I wasn't told that was possible.

"Yes, I can! I hear you in my head. It's really rather strange."

_'Huh...well...the question still stands. What now?'_

"Wrap yourself around me." He crouched down next to me and if I could blink I would...in complete shock.

 _'What?'_  I asked as he held out his arm.

"Come on, wrap yourself around my neck." I noticed the small smile on his face, and remembered that it was my job to protect HIM. This was getting ridiculous, but I could tell it would make him happy.

 _'Alright.'_  I sighed out in my mind as I slithered up and around his arm and the around his waist.

"I said my neck."

_'I don't want to get in the way of your wings.'_

"Ah, I see. Well, thank you." He took off towards the ark, and I was enjoying the feeling of flying through the air again, even if I wasn't the one to do the actual flying. Even in snake form, my wings ached to be the ones flapping and feeling the feathers ruffle through the storm. As I felt myself begin to slip, I soon felt Aziraphale's arms lift me off of his waist and he wrapped me around his neck carefully as we grew closer to the ark that started to float away due to the flood and massively heavy rain. It had NEVER rained this hard before. "I told you to wrap yourself around my neck, Crowley."

_'Yeah, well, don't expect a thank you.'_

I heard him chuckle lightly, and I could tell that the light chuckle was his way of saying thank you without either of our sides knowing...even though I'm technically only on his side. Once we caught up to the ark, he miracled a small sleeping net on the side. One that wouldn't go noticed, and wouldn't bother the equilibrium of the ark any, and he flew alongside the ark just below where he set me down in the sleeping net and slightly under the windows that were closed. "This is supposed to sail for quite some time...I will need to figure out something for myself..."

"Well, you could always carry me off to the one of the places that ISN'T getting flooded."

"That would be quite a ways, and you would be wrapped around my neck. I'm an angel, you're a demon..."

 _'...so you keep telling me.'_  I sighed out, and if I could roll my eyes, I would.  _'Your point?'_

"Well...we're not meant to trust each other."

_'Aziraphale, I just wrapped my body around your's, a very vulnerable body might I add, and we just traveled over water that rose nearly faster than I can blink...in my normal form that is...and I trusted you not to drop me. Even when you lifted me off of your waist, I trusted you not to drop me, and now I'm sitting here in a sleeping net...having a conversation with you.'_

"Trust? You trust me? Why? You're a demon! Your kind don't know how to trust!"

_'Let's just say I'm a bit different.'_

"Apparently." He breathed out in shock as he blinked at me. "Well...where would you like to go?"

_'You're the one with wings at the moment. I'll leave that up to you.'_

**_oOoOoOoOo_ **

I had seen him off and on through the years after that. I've been checking on him as much as I could while still preforming my duties as a demon, which was difficult when you were actually an angel, and apparently along with their wings, God took their ability to remember what a miracle looked like, because the demons were only limited to so much. Fire, pain, anguish, temptation, and any of the seven deadly sins, which weren't all that deadly, but still just as bad. Okay, wrath might actually be deadly, but still...I was on my way to Aziraphale to check on him when I felt his heart practically sobbing in heartache and pain. Knowing I couldn't use my wings hurt, and if I turned into a snake and back into my normal self in front of everyone, there may be an outbreak of very upset and fearful people, so I ran as fast as I could through the crowd until I saw Aziraphale in the distance and I heard someone crying out in time with nails being struck by a large hammer. Once I made it to him, my eyes widened at who it was.  _'That's...that's Jesus.'_  I shook my head as I slowly approached Aziraphale.  _'Oh...that's right...Jesus is SUPPOSED to be there. This is awful.'_  Once I made it to him I took in a quiet breath before speaking. "Come to smirk at the poor bugger, have you?" I asked him as I noticed he was gripping his hands tightly, likely to keep himself from preforming a miracle to make Jesus' pain go away.

"Smirk!? Me?" He breathed out as if I just offended him in the most horrible way, and I suppose, in a way I have, considering I could feel how he really felt.

"Well, your lot put him there."

"I'm not consulted on policy decisions, Crawley."

 _'You're not the only one. Wait...Crawley...that's right, I asked God if I could change it.'_  I shook my head as I watched them continue to hammer the nails. "Oh, I've changed it."

"Changed what?" He asked, seemingly welcoming the distraction of conversation.

"My name. Crawl-y...just wasn't doing it for me. It's a bit too...squirming-at-your-feet-ish."

"Well, you were a snake. So what is it now? Mephistopheles? Asmodeus?"

"Crowley." I answered.

"Hmm..." The nails were heard once more along with Jesus' cries. "Did you uh...ever meet him?"

 _'Conversation is definitely distracting him, but it's only easing a little of the pain. I guess I'm limited when something like this happens.'_  I nodded my head as I replied, "Yes. Seemed a very bright young man. I showed him all the kingdoms of the world."

"Why?"

The words, 'You're a demon, he's the son of God, why would you do such a thing? That's too nice. That's good. That's strange. That's far more different than different can be for a demon.' Was all encompassed into his singular use of the one word. "He's a carpenter from Galilee. His travel opportunities were limited." Another nail was driven through, and I actually saw the blood come out of his wrist which sent a pang through my heart, knowing who he was. "Oh, that's got to hurt." As I said that, I wondered how he ended up getting crucified of all things. "What was it that he said that got everyone upset?"

"Be kind to each other."

"Oh, yeah, that'll do it." I stayed with him until all of the stars were out and the crowd was gone. "Aziraphale."

"Why did you stay?"

"Because you did." I answered honestly.

"Yes, I know, but why me? Are you...are you trying to wait for a moment to tempt me into falling!?"

I looked around and I quickly turned into a snake and wrapped around Aziraphale's waist, giving him a safe version of a hug that neither sides would be able to detect or know about.  _'You won't fall. You're a good angel. I know you won't fall.'_  I released my hold on him and turned back into my other form, quickly bringing my wings back into my shoulder blades.

When I turned to look at him, I noticed a somewhat baffled expression on his face. "Why did you...?"

"Come on, Aziraphale. We should leave him be for now." However, before we continued anywhere, I took the time to well...stop...time. I went to the place that she gave me, and my heart hurt. I fell to my knees and I wrapped my wings around my body. "God, why did you do that?"

"It's not meant for you to fully know before everyone else."

"He was a good kid! He was a bright and kind young man, and the LAST person that deserved that!"

"I'm glad you think so, Crowley, but I stand by what I said. How is Aziraphale?"

"The connection you put on us...on me, rather...it hurts. You know...I remember when Lucifer and I used to be friends. Lucifer and I used to hang out and so did some of his friends, but, and I knew they were bad, and they had tried to get me to join them, and I didn't want to, but...the connection you put on me...linking me to Aziraphale...I'm grateful for it, I am, but it just adds to my own pain. When he's in pain, it hurts more than seeing every one of my fallen brothers and sisters every week or month. He was heartbroken."

"Did you help him?"

"It seems talking to him, and distracting him with conversation helped. I'm good at that, and we usually have some good conversations."

I heard her chuckle lightly. "So you tell me. I especially remember you telling me about when he carried you to the ark. You must be careful. You may accidentally literally speak your mind about your position. He has to figure it out on his own."

"I know. That's why I don't plan on turning back into a snake again. I did, however, find out the hard way that if I overexert myself, I turn into one anyway."

"Do you feel better now, Crowley?"

I placed my hands on my knees and I allowed my wings to slip away from me as I looked up to the ever blue sky, and I let out a short breathy chuckle. "Yeah, I think I'm better now. It's still going to hurt for a while, I suppose, but I feel a little better." I stood to my feet resumed time.

"C-Crowley?" I heard behind me, and we were exactly where we were supposed to be, but there was something in Aziraphale's eyes and the link that looked and felt like concern, confusion, and for some reason...wonder. "What just...it felt as if..."

"It felt as if what, Aziraphale?" I wondered myself as I turned completely to face him. He was looking around with widened eyes, and he kept opening and closing his mouth as if he was trying to find accurate words, which only led me even more curious.  _'Did he feel me stop time?'_  I questioned in my mind, and I was glad I wasn't a snake.

"It felt...well...once you started walking away...there was a...well, I don't know...it just seems erm...rather...it felt as if there was either the presence of an archangel or...or...the Almighty...but that's impossible."

"You're an angel, Aziraphale." I smirked at him as I placed a hand on his shoulder. "You should probably not say something is impossible for the almighty. Who knows, maybe she did a brief check up on the angel that gave away the flaming sword."

"That's not funny, Crowley." I heard him grumble.

"Oh, believe me, I know it's not funny." I turned around and waved my hand for him to follow.

"Where are we going?"

"To get something to drink. I need one."

**_oOoOoOoOo_ **

"Here you go Hastur! One defiler, one overworked whore, and one merchant that has been price gouging several customers. Now, tell them to leave me alone for AT LEAST three months. I'm even hand delivering them to you!"

"Beelzebub will be pleased, I'm sure." He took the three glowing orbs out of the basket I handed him and he sunk down into the ground.

I don't care how many times I have to deal with them, handing over souls leaves a bad feeling all over my body and an even worse taste in my mouth when I have to be so crude about it. As I started walking, I felt the connection tug, which I had come to find out, often meant that Aziraphale was thinking about me for some reason or another. "Huh...he's in town." I followed the aura tether and found him heading into a tavern. I waited a while before stepping in, but when I did, I found him playing a game of some sort by himself.  _'Oh, come on, Aziraphale...now that's just lonely.'_  I sat down quietly at the bar and made a point to look at Aziraphale as I spoke. "What have you got?" I asked as he was about to set something down, and the look on his face nearly made me bust out in laughter as he stopped immediately and looked up with wide eyes. "Give me a jug of whatever you think is drinkable." She spoke the name of the drink, but I barely heard it above my amusement.

"Crawley-Crowley..." He quickly corrected as he started to sit down. "Fancy running into you...here. Still a demon then?"

 _'What? Had he figured it out?'_  I snapped my head up and his eyes went a bit wider. "What kind of stupid question is that? 'Still a de-what else am I going to be, an aardvark!?" I let out a heavy sigh as I turned away from him.  _'I'm a demon, an angel, a Guardian angel, and I have the powers of an archangel, but because of the Guardian angel bit, I have to be mostly demon!'_

"Salutaria." I heard him say and I watched out of the corner of my eye as he lifted his glass for a silent toast that I guess I was supposed to know about, but I was still on the fact that he asked me if I was STILL a demon! I clinked my glass against his and looked in front of me. "In Rome long?"

"Just nipped in for a quick temptation. You?"

"Well, I thought I'd try Petronius' new restaurant. I hear he does remarkable things to oysters."

 _'Huh...'_  I thought to myself as the realization came to me. "I've never eaten an oyster."

"Oh, well, let me tempt you..."

 _'Come again!?'_  I shouted in my mind as I immediately set my glass down and turned towards him with mild amusement showing on my face. He showed no signs of falling, but the words coming out of HIS mouth were irony. For years I've heard, 'You're a demon and I'm an angel.' So this was entertaining.

"...oh no...that's your job, isn't it?"


	3. Chapter 3

Many years after the oysters, which were actually quite good...but...it felt strange to eat at first...anyway, many years after the oysters, we went our separate ways...as far as he knew. I had always stayed close and thankfully he didn't seem to need me too much, because I have been recruited by both demons and King Arthur's opposing armies to become the black knight, spreading dissent and discord. The troops and I were out one day, and I heard a distinctly familiar voice, and I felt the aura tether tug, but I wasn't following it this time. Aziraphale was. "I was hoping I could meet with the black knight."

 _'I'm going to enjoy this a bit.'_  I stepped forward in my armor, which was heavier than I thought it'd be at first. "You have sought the black knight, foolish one, but you have found...your death."

"Is that you under there, Crawley?"

 _'Oh, Come ON!'_  I groaned in my mind. "Crowley!" I told him as I lifted my helmet.

"What the hell are you playing at!?" He whispered out with a confused expression.

"It's alright, lads. I know him. He's alright." I turned to face him again, shifting in my uncomfortable armor. "I'm here spreading foment."

"What is that? Some kind of porridge?"

"No, I'm fomenting dissent and discord. King Arthur's been spreading too much peace and tranquility in the land. So I'm here, you know...fomenting." I tilted my head slightly.  _'Even for my liking, but I guess I know who to blame for that.'_

"Well, I'm meant to be fomenting...peace."

"So we're both working very hard in damp places...canceling each other out."

"Right, well, you could put it like that." He then looked around and wrinkled his nose in slight disgust. Kind of the same reaction I had when this whole thing started. "It IS a bit damp."

"It'd be easier if we both just stayed home. We both send messages back to our head offices saying we've done everything they'd asked for, wouldn't it?"

"But that would be lying!"

 _'Good. At least he's still good. Not that I had any doubts, but at least there's that...especially in this age, but I still really don't want to report to Hastur or Beelzebub.'_  I drawled out a sound I couldn't quite name as I tried to find my next words. "Eh, possibly...but the results'd be the same. Cancel each other out."

"But...my dear fellow..."

 _'Well, that's a new one.'_  I blinked at him in mild shock.

"...well, they'd check. Michael's a...bit of a stickler. You don't want to get Gabriel upset with you."

 _'And just how many times has that happened for him to say it like that? I remember Gabriel. A bit of a dick.'_  I shifted slightly in my armor as I continued to try and convince him. "Oh, our lot has better things to do than verifying compliance reports from Earth. As long as they get the paper work, they seem happy enough. As long as you've been seen doing SOMETHING every now and again."

"No! Absolutely not!" Due to him shouting, I actually felt a violent shiver go down my own spine as I felt his aura shift into minor heavenly wrath and though it was minor it was powerful, but he apparently didn't seem to notice, or he merely didn't know. To notice, he would have to know he was giving it off, and to do that, he would have to know the full extent of his powers. However, since he doesn't, the most he likely feels is anger, frustration, and agitation. God wasn't kidding when she said he could fight. If his voice was any indication, he very well could, but neither of us wanted to. Not then. "I am SHOCKED that you would even imply such a thing! We're not having this conversation! Not another word!"

"Right." Was all I was able to manage against his anger and wrath that he didn't know he was emitting.  _'Yup, conversation is over. I really don't need to make him any further upset than that. Not going to do that on purpose again. I'm his Guardian angel...well, at least he can take care of himself...if he's angry enough...and doesn't need a weapon.'_

"Right!" He shouted as he walked away.

**_oOoOoOoOo_ **

I just delivered two months worth of reports back to Hell along with a soul that Ligur was too lazy to collect himself, and I felt an odd tug on the aura tether. He was joyful, amused, and excited. I looked to where it was coming from and I groaned. "Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me. Why there?"

I walked in and heard an actor on stage practically shouting, and overacting. "To be or not to be! That is the question! Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows you..."

I ignored the rest as I walked up to him, remembering what he said to me just two weeks ago. "I thought you said we'd be inconspicuous here." I looked around in slight agitation as I noticed a lack of what he mentioned. "Blend in among the crowds." I enjoy being his Guardian angel, I do, but sometimes...he can be difficult. I'm meant to protect him from being too much like an angel, which is difficult when he tries to do so many good deeds and convert people, and I'm also having to keep him away from Hell and demons, and I can't do that very well anymore if we don't at least blend in a little. If I'm seen with him, it's trouble for both of us.

"Well, that was the idea."

"Hang on!"

 _'Oh no...'_  I sighed in my head as I watched Shakespeare running towards us. "This isn't one of Shakespeare's gloomy one's is it? OH! No wonder nobody's here!"

"Shh! It's him! It's him!"

 _'Fanboy.'_  I smirked briefly.

"Prithee, gentles, might I request a small favor? Could you, in your role, as the  _audience_ , give us more to work with?"

"You mean like when the ghost of his father came on, and I said, 'He's behind you!'?"

_'You what? Why?'_

"Just so! That was jolly helpful. Made everyone on stage feel more appreciated. A bit more of that. Good master Burbage, speak the lines trippingly."

"I am wasting my time up here!"

 _'You're acting like a brat up there.'_  I mocked in the same tone he spoke.

"No! No, you're very good! I love all the...talking."

_'Really, that's the best you can come up with? I guess I'll have to say what you want to say.'_

"And what does your friend think?"

"Oh, he's not my friend. We've never met before. We don't know each other."

I couldn't hide the slight laugh and the wide toothy smile that appeared on my face when he said that.  _'Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Aziraphale. One day you'll know. One day you'll be ABLE to recognize that we're friends...I hope.'_  I quickly squashed the hope, knowing he'd be able to sense it and I continued to grin. "I think you should get on with the play!"

"Uh, yes, Burbage, please! From the top!"

As he started to recite his lines again I tried to tune him out, but then Aziraphale tried to be helpful. "To be! I mean...Not to be!" I stared at him, wondering just why he thought that would be helpful. I know we were both different angels. The only two really different angels, but more and more I'm starting to see how it is SO true for him, and it's like watching a little brother, but I also suppose that it's true considering I'm a century older than he is. Not that he knows that. "Come on, Hamlet! Buck up!"

"He's very good isn't he?"

"Age does not wither, nor custom stale his infinite variety."

I heard Shakespeare say he liked what I said and then I heard him walking away putting quill to paper. "What do you want?" I heard Aziraphale ask as I walked around him.

"What ever would you insinuate that I might possibly want something?"

"YOU are up to no good."

 _'Nah, really!? I've been made a demon as well as your Guardian angel! I work two full time jobs! Tell me something I don't know!'_ The thought came and left as quick as the wind as I answered, "Obviously. You're up to Good, I take it? Lots of good DEEDS."

"No rest for the well...good. I have to be in Edinburgh at the end of the week. A couple of blessings to do. A minor miracle to preform. Apparently I have to ride a horse."

I groaned as I remembered all the times the demons made me ride a horses. I'm pretty sure they did it just to torture me. "Hard on the buttocks, horses. Major design flaw if you ask me. I'm meant to be heading to Edinburgh too, this week. Tempting a clan leader to steal some cattle."

He started to where a calculative and confused expression. He always was smarter than the other angels. "Doesn't sound like hard work."

"That's why I thought we should..." As I trailed off, he turned towards me with a slightly risen brow and I knew I had his attention. "Well, bit of a wasted effort, both of us going all the way to Scotland."

"You cannot actually be suggesting...what I infer...you are implying."

"Which is?"

"That just one of us goes to Edinburgh, does both. The blessing and the tempting."

"We've done it before. Dozens of times now." I leaned over slightly and in a quieter but higher pitched voice continued, "The arrangement."

"Don't say that!"

"Our respective head offices don't actually care how things get done. They just want to know they can cross it off the list."

"But if Hell finds out...they won't just be angry. They'll destroy you."

 _'Again...who's supposed to be the Guardian angel here?'_  I held my hands behind my back as I continued the conversation. "Nobody ever has to know. Toss you for Edinburgh."

It took him about three seconds to think about the answer or until he finally relented, however you want to see it. "Fine. Heads."

I tossed the coin, listening to the ringing noise it briefly made.  _'Oh, Aziraphale, you should know better than to agree to a coin toss with me.'_  Once I caught it and it landed I looked at it. "Tails, I'm afraid. You're going to Scotland."

Right after I spoke, I heard Shakespeare talking to one of the woman who were handing out flowers or food. "It's been like this every performance, Juliet. Complete dud! It'd take a miracle to get anyone to come and see hamlet."

 _'Oh no...'_  I looked at Aziraphale and already knew what he wanted me to do, and he looked so damn hopeful too! "Yes, alright..." I sighed out. "I'll do that one. My treat."

"Oh really?"

"I still prefer the funny ones."

Once I managed to miracle a bunch of people to be interested, I walked back into the theater later that night and found Aziraphale waiting for me at the door. "Oh, I did hope you would come and see it."

"Calm down, Aziraphale. I'm just here to see my hard work pay off. Let's go sit down." I walked ahead of him and sat in the front row seat I had miracled for myself and he sat in the one next to me that I had put for him. "You've seen them rehearse, yeah?"

"Yes, that's true. It's quite good. Just wait."

Wait I did, and I saw the whole play. It wasn't actually too terrible. As we walked away from the theater I shook my head as I let out a low chuckle. "Alright. It was decent."

"D-Decent! Crowley! It was spectacular!"

My smile broadened at his enthusiasm. "Yes, well, you can think it that highly if you want. I STILL prefer the funny ones."

"Whatever you say, Crowley. I could tell you enjoyed it." I looked over at him as we walked and he was smiling brightly.  _'That's good. At least he can smile. I kind of feel bad about the coin toss now...hmm...'_  I placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him in the middle of the road. "Aziraphale...during the coin toss..."

"Yes, I know you miracled it to where I would go."

"You do?" I blinked at him shock, my hand falling from his shoulder.

"Really, Crowley. We've been around each other so much, one would think that you know that I know you a bit better than that. I knew you were going to cheat. You're a demon. It's what you do."

"Then why agree to a coin toss? You could've just said yes."

"I like the sound it makes in the air."

"Huh...can't argue with that."

**_oOoOoOoOo_ **

I was in a carriage, on my way to a tavern when I felt the Aura Tether tug desperately, and on the other end Aziraphale was feeling anxious, worried, ashamed, and for some reason he felt foolish. "Stop!" The carriage stopped and I stepped out, immediately going towards where it was pulling from. Once I found it, I groaned as I shook my head. "What have you gotten yourself into now, Aziraphale?" I looked around and noticed guards everywhere.  _'I guess I'm going to have to do what Aziraphale showed me.'_  However, when I closed my eyes, instead of focusing on a certain destination, I focused on the aura tether and soon, I found myself in a cell with Aziraphale and he was wearing chains.  _'Those DO NOT belong on him!'_ I growled in my mind as I heard him go on a tirade of how he didn't want to be discorporated. I stopped time around the prison and the executioner as he turned to marvel at the sound of the guillotine. "Animals!" Aziraphale spat out.

"Animals don't kill each other with clever machines, Angel. Only humans do that." At my words, his anxious was replaced with joy.

"Crowley!" He turned quickly to face me and then saw what I was wearing. "Oh good Lord!"

 _'Really now? That sounded like you were taking her name in vain! Well, that's a bit amusing.'_  I just shook my head as I remembered how irritated I got as soon as I realized where he was. "What the deuce are you doing locked up in the Bastille? I thought you were opening a book shop!"

"Well, I was! I got peckish."

 _'What!?'_  My eyes widened as I stared at him in disbelief. "Peckish?"

"Well, if you must know...it was the crepes. You can't get decent ones anywhere but Paris. And the brioche."

 _'You have got to be kidding me!'_  I groaned in my mind. "So you just popped across the Channel during a revolution, because you wanted something to nibble...dressed like that?"

"I have standards!"

 _'Uh huh...standards...right.'_  I sighed out in irritation in my head.

"I'd heard they were getting a bit carried away over here, but..."

"Yeah, this is not getting carried away. This is cutting off lots of people's heads very efficiently with a big head cutting machine. Why don't you just preform another miracle and go home?"

"I was reprimanded last month."

 _'Reprimanded?'_  I questioned thoughtfully as my stared at him with widened eyes and a risen brow.

"They said I preformed too many frivolous miracles. Got a strongly worded note from Gabriel."

"Well, you're lucky I was in the area."

"I suppose I am. Why are you here?"

"My lot a commendation for outstanding job performance."

There was a sudden flash of anger in Aziraphale's aura, which caught my attention immediately. "So all this is YOUR demonic work!?"

"NO! The humans thought it up themselves! Nothing to do with me!" Once I said that, the flash of anger vanished as if it was never there.

I snapped my fingers and released him from the cuffs. He rubbed at his wrists with a slightly relieved look on his face. "Well, I suppose I should say thank you for the uh...rescue."

 _'No, don't do that. If you do that, downstairs will know and then upstairs will know and we'll BOTH be in trouble.'_  I immediately got up, and decided to tell him something around the same lines. "Don't say that. If my people hear that I've rescued an angel, I'll be the one in trouble, and my lot  _do not_  send rude notes."

"Well, anyway, I'm very grateful. What about if I buy you lunch?"

"Looking like that?" After saving his hide, he had the nerve to look at me with agitation as he let out a frustrated sigh just before changing his clothes and placing his attire on the executioner.  _'WELL THEN!'_  I laughed loudly in my mind.  _'That's something I would've done!'_

"Well, barely counts as a miracle, really." At his words, I resumed time and the guards came in to collect the 'Englishman.'

"Dressed like that, he's asking for trouble." I muttered with mild amusement. "What's for lunch?"

"What would you say to some crepes?"

**_oOoOoOoOo_ **

"I've been thinking..." I told him as he walked up to me in St. James' Park. "...what if it all goes wrong? We have a lot in common, you and me."

"I don't know. We both may have started off as angels, but YOU are fallen."

"I didn't really fall! I just...you know...sauntered vaguely downwards. I need a favor."

"We already have the agreement, Crowley. Stay out of each other's way, lend a hand when needed."

"This is something else, for if it all goes pear-shaped."

"I like pears."

"If it all goes WRONG, I want insurance."

"What?" I heard him ask in a confused manner as he shook the rest of the crumbs out of his hat.

"I wrote it down. Walls have ears. Well, not walls, TREES have ears.  _Ducks_  have ears. Do ducks have ears? Must do, that's how they hear other ducks." I could immediately tell he read what I wrote down, because I could feel the heartbreak he felt.

"Out of the question!"

"Why not?"

"It would destroy you! I'm not bringing you a suicide pill, Crowley!" He handed me the paper with a pained expression on his face.

"That's NOT what I want it for! Just insurance!" I handed him the note back, quickly getting agitated.

The heartbreak he felt got worse for some reason. "I'm not an idiot, Crowley. Do you know what trouble I'd be in if they knew I was...fraternizing? It's completely out of the question!"

"Fraternizing!?" I glared at him.  _'That's what our friendship is to you!? That's what you think I've been doing for thousands of years!?'_

"Well, whatever you wish to call it! I do not think there is any point in discussing it further."

"I have lots of other people to FRATERNIZE with, Angel."

"Oh, of course you do!"

"I don't need you!" As soon as the words left my mouth there was a sharp pain in my chest and apparently it appeared in Aziraphale's too.

"Well, and the feeling is mutual. Obviously!" I watched as he tossed the paper into the water, and set it on fire while he walked away.

"Obviously." I mocked.  _'He'll get over it eventually...he usually does.'_

**_oOoOoOoOo_ **

I had performed my own small miracle by helping some families get out or to safety at least, as quickly as possible without it being regarded as an actual miracle. I heard the sirens, and could feel the malice, the hatred, the sickening joy some of the Germans got out of this, and then I sensed Aziraphale walking calmly down the street, and for some reason he felt slightly smug.  _'That's...not right. Why would he...of ALL supernatural beings...feel smug right now?'_  I followed him as much as I was able without him noticing me right away, and I instantly went pale as I realized he walked into a church WITH BOOKS! The only reason I can think of for ANYONE to walk into a church with books would be to give them to Hitler!  _'WHAT ARE YOU DOING, ANGEL!?'_ I quickly looked for one of the bombing air crafts and it took a while longer than I thought, but I eventually got it to change course and direction. At that, I quickly ran inside and they had a gun pointed at him. As soon as my feet touched the floor of the church, my feet started to burn.  _'Right! I talked to God about it! She said that I'm still the same as she had made me, but that since I've been around Hell and the fallen for so long, that my aura is slightly more demonic.'_  I was worried it would change and she told me that just like other demons I really would be destroyed by holy water now and I couldn't go into a church. However, I've seen another demon walk into a church idiotically. He immediately bursted into flames. I just hoped that since I'm still mostly an angel it would only sting a bit, and I was really grateful I was right, but all of that information makes Aziraphale's worry about the holy water that much more accurate and understandable. I never would, but still. Anyway, as I walked forward, with my feet scorching I noticed they looked at me. "Sorry, consecrated ground. Oh! It's like...being at the beach in bare feet!"

"What are you doing here!?"

 _'Doing my job!'_  But I couldn't tell him that so I settled for, "Stopping you getting into trouble!"

"I should've known! Of course! These people are working for you!"

 _'Why do you always have to jump to conclusions!?'_  I shook my head as I continued to try and keep my feet off the floor as it stung my feet. "No! They're a bunch of half-witted Nazi spies blackmailing and murdering people! I just didn't want to see YOU embarrassed!" The ground was REALLY starting to burn! It started to feel like actual fire.

"Mr. Anthony J. Crowley...your fame proceeds you." The larger one said with a hint of disdain.

"Anthony?" He asked me with a look I have come to call his 'Seriously?' look.

"You don't like it?"

"No, no. I didn't say that. I'll get used to it."

"The famous Mr. Crowley..." The woman holding the gun breathed out in what I assumed was awe for some reason. "...It's such a pity you must both die."

 _'Ah well...be gentleman anyway.'_  I tipped my hat to her briefly as I continued to move around, avoiding the invisible licks of flames dancing at my feet.

"What does the 'J' stand for?"

"It's just a 'J', really." I answered.  _'Alright to the point!'_  I looked at the three people in front of us and took in a deep breath, but then I noticed something at the front of the church. "Look at that! A whole fontful of holy water! It doesn't even have GUARDS!"

"Enough babbling. Kill them both."

"In about a minute, a German bomber will release a bomb that will land right here. If you all run away very very fast, you might not die. You won't enjoy dying. Definitely won't enjoy what comes after."

"You expect us to believe that?" The larger one asked while the woman seemed to actually take into account my words, but she didn't say anything. "The bombs tonight will fall on the East End."

"Yes. It will take a last-minute demonic intervention to throw them off course. Yes. You're all wasting your valuable running away time!" At my words I remembered the fact that we could both be discorporated by something like that if we didn't protect ourselves. "And if, in thirty seconds a bomb  _does_  land here, it would take a REAL miracle for my friend and I to survive it."

"A-A real miracle." I could HEAR the agitation and annoyance in his tone.

"Kill them. They are very irritating."

At his words I merely lifted my hands up to get them to listen to the whistle of the bomb falling down towards us. I felt the heavenly invisible force field that Aziraphale placed around both of us, as the bomb destroyed the church. I cleaned off my glasses and looked up at him as he spoke and lowered his hat. "That was very kind of you."

"Shut up!" I told him as I placed my glasses back on my face.

"Well, it was. No paperwork for a start." A look of realization appeared on him, and I knew what he forgot, but thankfully I didn't. Just in case. "Oh! The books! I forgot all the books! Oh, they'll all be blown to-"

He stopped talking immediately as I grabbed the bag that I put my own heavenly force field around, and I handed it to him. "There's a little demonic miracle of my own. Lift home?" I walked away, but I could feel his emotions warring wildly on the inside. There was joy, confusion, concern, wonder, gratefulness, but mostly confusion and joy.

"Um, Crowley?" I heard him say as he followed me. "Crowley! Wait a moment!"

I stopped in the middle of some of the rubble, and turned to face him, seeing the amount of confusion on his face. "What is it, Angel?"

He lifted up his bag and gave me a questioning look. "The bag, I...you...I forgot to cover the bag in a force field, but you were able to. You shouldn't have been able to do that."

"Oh, really? Why's that?"

He let out a nervous laugh as if I should know the answer. I do, but that doesn't mean I'm just going to tell him. Besides, he has to make the conclusion on his own. He has to figure it out...not ask me. I can't tell him if he asks me. He has to be sure he knows. "Well, that's because...that's divine power! You shouldn't be able to do that. You don't have any. You're a demon."

"Well, I  _did_ say to consider it my own demonic miracle."

"Yes, but...you shouldn't have been able to do that and I feel it on the bag...divine power...you...that's impossible."

"I'm hardly  _divine_." It was the truth after all. I'm hardly divine and I'm hardly demonic. I'm a perfect mix...with more power than I should have. The power of both a high ranking demon and an Archangel.

"That's for certain, but-"

I groaned as I leaned back in frustration. "Aziraphale, are you really going to complain? You have your books, and we're still here. Plus we already know I'm different from the others."

"Yes...that's true...and...I AM grateful..."

"Just leave it be. Who knows, maybe SHE helped with saving your books."

"Yes...perhaps you're right. That must've been what happened. After all, I can feel your energy around the bag as well."

"At least that's settled. Let's get you home, Angel."

Some years after the events of the church incident as Aziraphale was calling it, the war had ended and I was invited over to his book shop to celebrate. Once I walked through the door I saw him rushing towards me. "Oof!" I shouted and looked up at the ceiling.  _'And...now I'm on my back...'_  I patted Aziraphale's back. "Alright come on...this is a lot of affection...even for you. It's making my skin crawl." Not really, but he doesn't need to know that.

"Oh my...! I'm so terribly sorry, Crowley!" He scrambled to get up and offered me his hand. I took it and stood in front of him as I brushed off the front of my suit. "It's just...the war is over! Oh...but I'm sure...that's not good news to you."

"What!?" I asked as I immediately looked up at him. "Why wouldn't that be...erm... _decent_  news?"

"Well...you're a demon. Don't the others..."

"Oh, the others quite enjoy it and they even placed bets. They're currently having a grand old time with some of their new...toys. I, however, didn't personally like the war."

"Oh? May I ask why?"

"Adults fighting adults and adults killing one another...eh...I'll leave it be...unless I'm asked to fight with a certain side, but once they start murdering children...that's where I draw the line."

"Yes...I believe I remember you calling the Nazis murderers...and during the ark thing...you said 'Not kids...you can't kill kids.' It seems, Crowley that you have a soft spot for children." I followed him to the back room where he poured me a glass of wine.

I took it gladly, because I had a feeling this conversation was going to go in an unsettling direction. "Aziraphale, if you're going to call me a good person...don't."

"Oh, really then? Tell me, how does sticking up for children benefit you in anyway."

I took a drink of my wine and let out a heavy breathy sigh. "It doesn't."

"Then why?"

"I don't like fighting in general. I don't like war. I don't like what it does to children. It doesn't matter which side wins or loses at some point there's a child out there somewhere that loses their mum or dad...but when you start...murdering and being cruel to children in ways I thought only HELL was capable of...it makes me sick. I evacuated some families not long before I helped you at the church. There was a mother of triplets and they were four years old." I looked in my wine glass with a smile as I remembered what one of them said. "One of them took my glasses off."

"Really!? What happened!?"

"The mother was frightened for a moment, but she eased herself. She said I must've been an angel to have such eyes. For the sake of getting them out, I let that remark slide. The child that removed them said my eyes were as yellow as sunflower petals. I carried her on my back as I got the rest of them out. When she said that...it reminded me of what I used to do before the angels fell."

"I don't think you've told me what you've done before becoming a demon."

"Hmm..." I hummed as I took another swig of my wine.  _'I guess it's alright to tell him that much.'_ I let out a shaky breath as I remembered and I nodded my head. "You were the Guardian of the Eastern Gate of the Garden of Eden, correct?"

"Yes." He drawled out as he raised an inquisitive brow.

"Ever wonder  _who_  took CARE of the Garden?"

At my words he immediately started busting out laughing, but when he realized ai wasn't he gawked at me. "You're...you're serious."

"Yup. I took care of the plants and I still remember how...happy I was...when God would bring a new plant or animal. They were all unamed, but that didn't matter. I took care of the plants and animals just the same."

"You...you were truly trusted with the Garden?" There was a shakiness in his breath that unsettled me and I knew soon I was probably going to regret admitting that.

"Yes." I stated before chugging the rest of my wine.

"And...you would betray what you loved so easily!?"

"I tempted Eve AFTER the angels fell."

"Yes...you keep phrasing it like that. I remember you saying you didn't fall."

"Nope. I sauntered vaguely downwards. I got there A LOT faster than I thought I would, though."

"And...you said you don't like fighting in general?" I looked up and noticed a look of bafflement on his face as if he was solving a million piece jig-saw puzzle and he was missing a piece.

"I never fought. I didn't fight then. I didn't want to. I hid in a tree in the Garden and I covered my ears to stop myself from hearing the screaming and the clashing...but I could still smell the scent of burning flesh, blood, and feathers."

"B-But...if you didn't like the fighting...why would you  _willingly_  go!? I mean...from what you told me...you LOVED taking care of the Garden. Now...you're incapable of the feeling!"

 _'That...is not true...technically.'_  I let out a sigh as I poured myself another glass of wine. "That...is something I am not going to tell you. That's my own personal secret. If you figure it out, great, but I won't tell you."

"S-So...you...but...Crowley...with everything you do...other demons wouldn't..."

"I'm different, Aziraphale. Leave it at that. Now, I do believe we were celebrating an end to a war, yes?"

His emotions didn't tense further, but they didn't relax either, and there was another emotion added into the mix. Sorrow. "Yes! Of course!" He laughed out with a fake smile and we continued to drink and I listened to his tale of how he ended up in that situation in the first place.

**_oOoOoOoOo_ **

After speaking to the three people I would be sending in to get the holy water and after the conversation with the weird witch finder, I got into my car and noticed the aura tether tug was EXTREMELY close. I looked over and there's Aziraphale, and for some reason he feels distraught. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to have a word with you."

"What?"

"I work in Soho, I hear things. I hear that you're setting up a...caper. To rob a church. Crowley it's dangerous! Holy water won't just kill your body! It will destroy you!"

"You told me what you think, a hundred and five years ago!"

"And I still haven't changed my mind! But I can't have you risking your life! Not even for something dangerous. So..." I looked over at him and I saw him pull out a thermos. "...you can call off the robbery. Don't go unscrewing the cap."

I took it from him carefully and I could hear the liquid inside. "It's the real thing." It wasn't a question. I knew he wouldn't lie to me. Not after all this time.

"The holiest."

"After everything you said." He nodded his head and his heartache was so powerful and his worry was so extreme I knew that he still thought I was going to use it to kill myself someday. "Should I say thank you?" I asked thinking,  _'Would that make you feel at least a little better?'_  However, at my words the link gave me the answer, because hints of anger mixed in with the worry and heartbreak.

"Better not." After that I offered to take him anywhere he wanted to go and although he was actually happy at the offer, the rest of his emotions were just as present. "You move too fast for me, Crowley."


	4. Chapter 4

When I received the Antichrist all I could do was repeatedly say, "Shit." Because I could feel that I wasn't allowed to interfere with this plan, but at the same time...I was...and I couldn't figure it out.

When I did figure it out, Aziraphale and I watched over the  _wrong_  boy for eleven years!

When the demons came for me, I felt the aura tether completely snap and that's NEVER happened before. I made my way to the book shop as fast possible and it was up in flames.  _'NO!'_  I had thought loudly and when he was no where to be found, I came to the heart wrenching conclusion that someone killed him. I had failed in protecting him, and he was my best friend.

When he appeared in front of me I was overjoyed even though I was drunk.

As Satan was showing up, when he asked me to do something or he wouldn't talk to me again, all I could think was,  _'I can't let that happen. I have to stop time so we can talk to Adam!'_  I knew doing that would lead to questions from Aziraphale.

When we body swapped and Gabriel told 'Aziraphale' to shut his stupid mouth and die already, it took all I had not to kill him. So, I did the next best thing. I stepped in the fire, felt it's warmth as it soothed my muscles and I breathed the fire at the prick. Worth every second.

Now, we were heading back from the Ritz. It was a good day...all things considered. Then, we stepped into the book shop and there stood Gabriel like the dick he was. "So...it's true." He breathed out disapprovingly.

"I thought you were going to leave me alone." I heard Aziraphale growl out, causing my eyes to widen quite a bit, but no one noticed.

"Oh, I was. You certainly um...you're an abomination and we couldn't figure out how you could possibly withstand the fire, but I had a thought. Perhaps those pictures that Michael showed me had something to them. You're corrupted aren't you? You're fallen."

Aziraphale let out a heavy sigh as he let out his wings. "As you can see, I'm not fallen or corrupted!"

"Yes, your wings and grace are pure. However, that makes it that much more confusing, and it means you know something we don't. So!" He snapped his fingers and Uriel came forward and bound me in magical ropes. "The two of you are coming with us until we figure it out. Since holy water won't work on Crowley and the fire won't work on you, we're just going to have to come up with different methods of getting you to explain what happened." Without warning we were suddenly transported to heaven in the same room the fire was put in and they quickly placed me on a rack with my jacket, shirt, tie, socks, and shoes removed.

They had placed Aziraphale in a chair much like I was put in when I was disguised as him. "You're..going to torture him!?"

Gabriel let out a sickening chuckle. "There's something going on with you two, and we're going to get to the bottom of it. We'll ask the both of you questions. I'll be asking Crowley, and Uriel will be asking you. Anytime either of you refuses to answer or at least refuses to answer  _honestly_...Crowley will be...wounded. So!" Gabriel turned to face me and I already wanted to light his ass on fire. "Crowley...are you romantically involved with Aziraphale?"

"No." I answered and I noticed the binds on my wrist were glowing gold.

"Huh...you're telling the truth. You see...these binds...if you're lying they'll glow red. If you're telling the truth they'll glow gold. Uriel, your turn."

 _'They're treating us like a game of catch!'_  I thought furiously.

"Aziraphale, have you been plotting against heaven since before the Antichrist was born?"

"No." He sighed out as he moved uncomfortably against his binds that started to glow gold.

"Well then...at least there's that. Crowley...did you murder a fellow demon using holy water?"

"Yes." I grumbled low, and my binds glowed golden once again.

Uriel nodded her head and looked to Aziraphale who's eyes widened considerably. "Did you know he murdered another demon with holy water?"

"No, I didn't."

I watched with a twinge of guilt as his binds glowed truthfully. "Huh, seems like an awful thing to do to someone who you're supposed to share a side with." Gabriel grinned wickedly as he turned to face me again. "Crowley, do you trust Aziraphale more than your fellow demons?"

"Demons don't trust."

"Yes or no, Crowley!" He shouted and I just glared at him. "Answer it Crowley!" When I didn't answer he let out a sigh and shook his head. He then conjured a flaming sword and cut from my right shoulder down to the top of my ribs, causing me to scream in agony as the fire seared my skin and boiled my blood. "ANSWER THE QUESTION, DEMON!"

"STOP!" I heard Aziraphale cry out.

"Y-Yes!" I breathed out heavily. "With my life. I trust him with my life!" The binds glowed a brighter gold than they had for the other questions.

"You said demons don't trust." Gabriel stated with a calculative tone.

"I'm different...and I believe...it's the...angel's turn."

"Quite right." Uriel nodded. "Aziraphale, did you know that he held such trust in you?"

"N-No. I did not. What do these questions have to do with me and the fire and him with the holy water?"

"We're asking the questions!" Gabriel snapped before turning to face me. "How are you different!?" I glared at him and kept my mouth shut. "Answer!" When I didn't answer, he made another deep cut from my left shoulder to just under my arm, drawing out more screams of pain from my sore throat. "Answer!"

"Crowley! Just answer!" Aziraphale pleaded and I could feel the heartache in his soul, but I can't say it. Especially not to them.

"Do you know what makes him different?"

"Not exactly."

 _'No, Aziraphale!'_  I shouted in my mind.

"Wait...what do you mean...not exactly?" Gabriel questioned as Aziraphale's binds gave off a soft golden glow.

"W-Well...he's able to show kindness."

That nearly caused Gabriel to drop his sword and Uriel stepped back exactly one step as the binds glowed brilliantly with pure golden light. "Demons aren't capable of kindess. That  _shouldn't_  be possible." Uriel stated.

"It shouldn't be possible that he survived holy water either." Gabriel muttered as he turned to face me. "Crowley, is Aziraphale different in a similar way to you?"

I spat in his face which earned me a sharp and quick stab in between my first and second ribs on the left side. I let out a cough and blood came out. "Prat." I laughed out. "Never...thought...Archangels would be...scared of a...principality."

"Answer the question, you ingrate!"

"Oh, I'M the...ingrate!? For...YEARS you've...done nothing...but belittle...Aziraphale! For years...you've looked...at him...like he was...nothing more than...a maggot! He...knows more...about GOD'S...creation...HUMANS...than YOU! The...Archangels!" I finished with a heavy breath as the pain still lingered greatly and I could feel my blood soaking my pant legs.

"Aziraphale..." Uriel started with agitation in her voice. "Do you know how you're different in a way similar to Crowley?"

"I...I..." Gabriel started coming after me with the sword again. "DON'T KNOW!"

Gabriel turned to face Aziraphale and noticed that the binds gave a weak golden glow. "Fine. Crowley, when you fell..."

"I...didn't...fall." I breathed out in between ragged breaths, and glanced over as the binds started to glow gold.  _'Shit!'_

"You...what!?" Gabriel and Uriel breathed out in unison and I looked up at Aziraphale, who wore a dumbfounded expression.

"Aziraphale, did you know this!?" Uriel quickly questioned with a slightly shaking voice.

"He...he's told me that he's sauntered vaguely downwards...that he went willingly...but...I never honestly believed him about that."

I looked at Gabriel and I watched as his brow furrowed in confusion. "But...he's a demon. His aura screams demon, he has access to Hell, the other demons treated him with high regard before the Antichrist incident, and he was one of the most powerful demons." He moved forward and took off my glasses. "He has the eyes of a snake. Crowley...are you the demon that tempted Eve?"

"Yes." I answered with a small smile. "That...would be...me."

"Are you a demon?"

"Yes." I spoke and quickly added in my mind, because I knew how these binds worked,  _'...and no.'_  I looked over and both of them glowed gold.

"But you didn't fall."

"Nope. Sauntered...vaguely...downwards."

"How?" Uriel asked with a confused expression. "God casted everyone who rebelled...out."

"I...didn't...rebel." I told them truthfully. might as well considering where I'm at. Besides, Aziraphale knows and he would've told them the truth. The binds glowed to show I was honest and I looked up at them both and they were more shocked than when I had seen them after I stepped in the fire disguised as Aziraphale...but perhaps that was them being afraid instead.

I heard the crackle of fire and the cracking of a floor and I looked to my far right, and quickly noticed Beelzebub coming forward. "YOU'RE LATE!" Gabriel spat.

"I don't care for your words or your time, Gabriel. Now..." She looked at Aziraphale and he was suddenly on a similar rack like I was and he was also topless, sockless, and shoeless. "...let's get started on the angel."

"Here I thought you would've all left us alone." Aziraphale glared at her, and I felt his wrath grow beneath the surface, but no one else felt it.

"We told Crowley we would leave him alone. We said nothing about you. However, if we can torture him a little for information on the peculiar incident...Well...win-win." Beelzebub immediately took out a rusty and jagged knife and slowly cut Aziraphale deep from his shoulder and down his right arm.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I growled through the pain.

"Oh? And why should I? Tell me, Crowley...what is he to you? Oh, and before you answer you may want to remember...I'm a demon...and creative with torture."

"He's like a brother to me!" I told them all with as much honesty I could muster. I had already thought he died, I don't want to see him tortured before my eyes, but the feeling of joy that blossomed within Aziraphale healed some of the physical pain I had already endured, but it wasn't noticeable.

"WE were supposed to be like your brothers! What makes you so different, Crowley? We never did figure that out."

"Apparently he can show kindness." Uriel stated as she crossed her arms.

"Kindness!? What an atrociously good word for a demon! We don't know how to be kind! Nor do we WANT to know!"

"Aziraphale's binds glowed gold when he said it. That means it was true." Gabriel stated and I was growing agitated as he still held my glasses.

My eyes widened as Beelzebub looked increasingly confused and quickly turned around, breathing heavily. She then started slashing him repeatedly. I couldn't take it anymore. I screamed and despite not exactly knowing I could, I commanded the binds to break and I rushed to Aziraphale, and I threw Beelzebub half way across the room, showing my wings fully in a completely protective manner. "LEAVE. HIM. ALONE!" I growled out in such a way that shook my own body as I ignored my wounds.

"W-W-WINGS!?" Beelzebub stuttered out in obvious fear as she staggered back until she fell on her ass.

"Y-You have wings!?" Gabriel stepped back in the same way, followed by Uriel.

"What...is...the problem with...him...having wings?" I turned around to face Aziraphale and I immediately healed his wounds. "How did you do that?" He whispered low enough to where only I could hear, but I wasn't going to answer him. I turned back around, displaying wings in a protective manner again.

"Aziraphale..." Beelzebub started with a look of pure terror. "...God ripped our wings off! HE SHOULDN'T HAVE WINGS!"

"Well...then why does he?"

"Th-That...is a very good question." Gabriel stuttered out as he gawked at me. Meanwhile, Beelzebub made herself scarce, sinking back into the floor.

"Well, now that she's gone..." I turned around and released Aziraphale from his binds. "...better, Angel?"

"EXPLAIN, CROWLEY!" Gabriel commanded, and I wasn't going to be commanded to do  _anything_  by the likes of him!

I turned around and walked up to Gabriel and punched him in the face. "That's for trying to kill Aziraphale!" I then punched him in the gut hard enough to send him flying. "And THAT'S for having him tortured!"

"Wh-What  _are_  you!?" Uriel questioned with a shaking voice as she went to help Gabriel up.

"FUCKING PISSED OFF! THAT'S WHAT I AM!" I waited for them to come to me, because I wasn't going to let myself get too far from Aziraphale.

"No, as a being...what are you!?" Gabriel breathed out as he quickly healed his injuries.

"I'm a demon."I answered and it was still true...slightly.

"THEN HOW DO YOU HAVE WINGS!?" Gabriel shouted as he stepped closer. "They're not white either!"

"I told you! I didn't fall! I went willingly, you arrogant pompous bastard! You don't even remember me, do you!?"

"I think I would remember an abomination!"

"There were Guardians of the Garden of Eden. Aziraphale at the East, and three others stationed at North, West, and South.  _I_ was the one who tended to the Garden before Adam and Eve were created."

"You...you were the center angel!?"

"Yes!" I growled as I kept my wings out.

"But you're a demon!" Uriel raised her voice.

"That's true."

"But you have wings!" Gabriel spat.

"That is also true."

"WHAT are you!?" They questioned again in unison.

"None of your business!" Next thing I know they're both coming after me, and Aziraphale let's his wings out as he flies past me and towards them. He snatches Gabriel's flaming sword and steps back to stand beside me.

"Why does it matter what he is!?" He shouted and I felt the wrath in full force as he shouted louder than I knew he was able.

"He can't be BOTH! That's impossible!"

"Oh really?" I chuckled darkly before I stopping time around us, taking us to my usual place that only I knew about until recently. I watched as Gabriel and Uriel's extra wings were released and they looked around in awe. "God!" I smirked, and they looked at me with disbelief and anxiousness. "They said it's impossible for me to be both a demon and an angel!"

"Like she would answer an abomination like y-"

"Impossible, huh?" She spoke and I could hear a grin. "Gabriel...Uriel...I am disappointed in the both of you. Even if he  _were_  both, it would not be impossible for me. I have created many things. Surely...you are not expressing doubt in me, are you? That will lead to you falling."

"W-Well...then what is he!?" Uriel asked as she looked up at the sky.

"Crowley, do you wish for them to know?"

"I do not!" I spat as I stayed protective of Aziraphale.

"Then, Gabriel and Uriel...you shall never know. If I hear of you torturing them or any other angel like you had just moments ago EVER again, I will assume doubt has filled your mind and I will fell you immediately. Am I clear?"

"Y-Yes L-Lord!"

There was a bright flash of light and suddenly we were dressed and in the back room of the book shop.  _'Oh...this is going to be interesting...'_  I thought with a twinge of anxiousness.


	5. Chapter 5

"Crowley? Wh-What happened back there?" I looked at him as I felt his nervousness and unfortunately...fear.

I let out a sigh and laid myself down on the couch, placing my arm over my eyes as I had one knee up and one leg straight. I heard him sit down in his usual chair. "Please be a bit more specific. A lot of things happened."

"Your...wings. I thought...I thought all demons still had their wings. Then...in that space we were in...God...she spoke to you...defended you... _US_...what...what happened!? What are you!?"

"Demons don't have wings. They never had wings since they were cast out. Only Lucifer kept wings, but they became heinously disfigured."

"Yes...but you kept your wings as well...and they're still beautiful. I thought that the demons just had black wings."

"Nope!" I sighed out. "I got to keep my wings."

"Yes...I-I realize that."

"Aziraphale..."

"Y-Yes?" I removed my arm and turned my head to face him, and he jumped slightly in his chair.

"Why are you afraid of me?"

"I'm not afraid of-"

"If you want me to tell you the truth you can at least have the common decency to do the same for me. I know you're afraid of me."

"W-Well...it's just...six thousand years of friendship...and I...well...I feel like perhaps I never knew you and I now don't know what you are...or even who you are I guess."

"I'm still the same."

"Except you're not. You're a demon...you told the truth...but you're something else aren't you?"

I looked back up at the ceiling and placed my arm back over my face. "Yes. I'm something else too."

"C-Can you tell me? P-Please?"

"Not with you as scared as you are. I'm afraid it will make things worse."

"H-How long have you been whatever you are?"

"Since the other angels rebelled." I sat up and clasped my hands together in front of me as I swung my legs to the front of the couch, carefully landing my feet to the rug. "Aziraphale. I want to tell you, but you have to calm down. I'm not going to hurt you."

"I would never think-"

"Except you do. I can feel what you feel. We have a connection. It's one sided, but it's there. I feel your emotions with my own and right now...you're terrified of me and that hurts more than Gabriel's torture."

At my words, I watched as he paled considerably and a singular tear ran down his face. My words wounded him and he felt a sudden wave of guilt. "I...I'm sorry."

Once he calmed down some, I let out another sigh as I lowered my head, still missing my glasses, and then I looked back up at him. "When the angels rebelled...I hid in a tree and did what I told you I did. I covered my ears and stayed away from it. A few days  _before_  the fighting...Lucifer had asked me to come spend time with him and his friends so I did. We were already somewhat friends. We had a small party and I drank so much heavenly wine I ended up naked...but that's not the point. The point is...he tried to get me to join him in the fight against the others. I told him, 'no thank you' and he told me it was my choice. I left and then everything happened."

"Like what?"

"Like the battle." I groaned out. "However, God came to me and told me she had an extremely important job for me. I was the only one who could do it, because I chose not to fight. The job required me to go to Hell. She allowed me to keep my wings and I accepted the job once I understood all of the details. She said I would always be known as a demon and would have to put up with the hatred and scorn of being known as one. I have the aura, minimal powers, and weaknesses of a demon, but...I'm something else. I was turned into something else for the job. I'm the first and only of my kind. Now...how I willingly left...God gave me a stair case and I..."

"...Sauntered...vaguely...downwards..." A look of realization washed over him. "Wh-What was your new job? What could possibly be worth being hated, scorned, ridiculed, despised, and...and...just what could be so important that you would willingly become that!?"

"I am a Guardian angel as well as a demon."

"What?" He whispered so low I barely heard him.

"I'm a Guardian angel...with the powers of an Archangel."

"B-But you and I...we...we have the same powers..." I slowly nodded my head and he slumped down in his chair as he quickly realized what my head nod meant. "C-Can any other demons do anything you can?"

"They can cause upset, temptation, and collect souls...but that's it."

"A-And you're a...who are you a Guardian angel for? There are Guardian angels that exist...you're not the only one."

"I  _AM_  the only one of  _my_  kind, because I don't guard humans. I am a Guardian angel...to an angel. You...specifically."

"I...so...you're...MY Guardian angel!?"

"Yes." I answered as calmly as I could while I watched more color drain from his face.

"All...All this time...and I...almost every time we met...I called you a demon."

"It's what I am." I shrugged and quickly noticed the look of furious disbelief in his eyes.

"No...it's not! You're an angel, Crowley! You're my  _Guardian_  angel, and I...oh...how you've stayed with me all these years...how you've managed to always find me. H-How did you know it was me?"

"I saw you hiding in a tree in the Garden during the battle just before I went down. Then, after Adam and Eve were banished...I came up to officially meet you. My Heavenly Purpose." I snorted at the term, but the look on Aziraphale's face told me he found it everything BUT funny.

"Wh-Why me?"

"Because you're different. You didn't want to fight either, but you were a little more different than me. You already had the powers of an Archangel, and although you CAN hold your own, you never fought. I am the same, but you had a more...innocent and naive nature I guess. She wanted me to protect you and care for you. She wanted me to look after you with as much care that I used when looking after the plants and animals. She wanted me to make sure you didn't become too much like the other angels, and she wanted me to make sure you would never fall. It is my job to protect you, care for you, make sure you're happy, and in perfect balance between Heaven and Hell."

"S-So...you...you really never..."

"If it wasn't for the fact I actually entered Hell like I did...I would be a full fledged angel. I'm both though. Demon and Guardian angel."

"Wait...is that why you were so bothered by me giving away my sword?"

"Oh..." I laughed out as I shook my head. "You have NO idea! You could've used it to defend yourself! And then...at the ark...ugh!"

"At the ark...you...you trusted me not to hurt or drop you...knowing I thought so...so lowly of you."

"Yes, I did." I nodded my head and I could feel the guilt in Aziraphale increase more and more bit by bit.

"Then...when I asked you why you stayed at Jesus' crucifixion...You said it was because I did. You...Did HE know what you are?"

"Yes. He did. He thanked me, wished me luck, apologized that I have to be known as a demon, and said he would pray for me. It helped."

"A-And...when I was trapped in the Bastille...You came to my rescue."

"It was my job, but you were also my best friend."

"Y-Your...when I was discorporated...you said..."

"Yes...well...there is more than just me sharing your emotions. There's what I call an Aura Tether in between us. I follow it to you and that's how I find you. It's always connected. When the book shop was burning...the tether snapped and that had NEVER happened before. It was how I...how I  _thought_  I knew you were dead."

"My...My goodness. I was jealous over myself." I grinned at him m, remembering the bout of jealousy that appeared in his eyes when I said that. "Oh...back in 1941...you walked into the church..you said..."

"Yes...I walked in for you."

He swallowed a lump in his throat, but then his face went pale again just after it had gained color. "Th-The fire...when w-we switched...d-did you know you wouldn't get hurt or..."

"I..." I trailed off as I rubbed the back of my head. "...I didn't know what would happen. The...air in Hell...it's only thick to angels. So...I mean...I didn't..."

"YOU DIDN'T KNOW!?" he shouted and I sunk back in the couch. "You...! You could've...I mean...I could've lost you! You could've died!"

"To me...it was worth it. However, I will say...the fire was actually soothing. It relaxed my tense muscles."

"You're impossible!"

"You're one to talk! Oh, I have stories, Angel! Stories that you weren't aware I was there for!"

"Yes well..." He quickly calmed down as an honest smile appeared on his face. "Would you mind telling me?"

"Not at all...but we're going to need wine."

"For this discussion? I would hope so."

"Hey, Aziraphale...something I didn't tell you...and I know that God said you weren't. She told me as much...but...you're my Guardian angel too."

"And proudly, Crowley." He beamed at me and I felt pure warmth, joy, happiness, excitement, and wonder radiating off of him. Now all I had to do was wait for embarrassment to show as well, and the thought alone left me grinning like a fool, and now that he knew...I gained a sneaking suspicion that my job just got a bit more difficult...but that's okay. He's my best friend. He's worth it.


End file.
